After Naomi experiences the death of her husband and both sons, she hears the famine in Judah has ended. As she begins the journey home, both of her daughters-in-law want to go with her.

Naomi tells them not to come and asks if they think she’s going to have more sons for them to marry. She says she’s too old to have another husband. She continues, “Even if I thought there was hope for me–even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons–would you wait until they grew up?”

Naomi has a hit a low point. She’s lost hope. She can’t see how things will ever get better.

I’ve been there. I remember being so overwhelmed by my circumstances that I could not see how things would ever get better. I had lost hope. Without hope, it’s easy to slip into a deep discouragement and even depression.

What’s at the root of Naomi’s depression? Is it the death of her husband? The death of her two sons? Is it the combination of three deaths while living in a foreign country?

Those are definitely heavy burdens that bring deep pain and grief, but those aren’t the root. I believe the root of her struggle is found in this verse when she again tells her daughters-in-law to go back to their homes rather than come with her:

“No more daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has gone out against me!”

Naomi allowed her circumstances, as hard and painful as they were, to distort her image of God. She stopped seeing Him as a good, loving, faithful God. Instead, she saw Him as someone bringing misfortune on her.

I don’t blame her at all. I’ve been guilty of it myself. It’s still a constant battle to keep my focus off my circumstances and on God and His goodness. Winning that battle though is the only way for me to experience His joy and peace.

Where is your focus today?